The Speed of an Arrow
by AvengersIsLife
Summary: While trying to track down a hidden Hydra base, the team comes across another person from Clint's family that they didn't know existed, but this time, not even Clint expected her to turn up. WARNING: Spoilers for Age of Ultron.
1. Chapter 1

**Warning. This story will contain spoilers for Avengers Age Of Ultron. Do not read if you have not seen the movie. Trust me, you want that movie to be spoiler free, and if you haven't seen it yet, go see it because it is freaking amazing.**

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 **For this story and its purposes, Quicksilver never died, and Barton has another family member the Avengers don't know about.**

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"You sure it's around here?"

"Positive Steve. This is where Strucker was sending information to. The base has to be somewhere around here."

"Well, you need to figure out where because I'm getting pretty irritated with all of this hiking nonsense."

Steve sighed, while Natasha and Tony rolled their eyes. Clint stopped walking, then turned to face Pietro, who was standing stiff, folding his arms.

"Fine, smart ass, if you wanna go scout ahead, scout ahead. Just don't get caught like last time."

Pietro rolled his eyes, then took off in the blink of an eye. In the dark silence, they could hear him zipping about, causing disturbances in the forest. Clint shook his head, then began walking forward again, Natasha, Steve, and Tony following in pursuit.

"You've got to stop letting him do his own thing, Barton. He's got to learn to work with the team."

"I know Steve, but cut him some slack. He's not used to teamwork. He's been with his sister his whole life, and now she's taken off with the Vision and Thor to look for more answers on the other Infinity Stones. Let him have some fun. He's just a kid."

"He's a kid that nearly got himself killed trying to protect you. You sure you're not just feeling guilty for that?"

"Steve, back off, okay? Clint knows what he's doing," Natasha stated as she weaved around a bush in her path.

The four were traveling steady through a dark forest, while a full moon twinkled down at them, promising safety, and threatening danger. They'd been moving for hours, and tensions were running high.

Banner was still in the unknown, and Wanda, Vision and Thor were out trying to find answers on the Infinity Stones. Meanwhile, Tony had decrypted more of Strucker's information from his base, finding that they hadn't shut down the last Hydra base after all. There were many more that S.H.I.E.L.D. had held power over, but Hydra had retaken them without letting anyone know.

Tony had immediately called in for the help of Steve, Natasha, and Clint, who insisted that Pietro come along. They had focused on a base that Strucker had focused most of his attention on, but the trail had gone cold the closer they looked.

After a few more minutes of stumbling their way through the dark woods, Steve realized everything had gone quiet.

"Wait, everyone stop moving. Stop Tony, wait. I don't hear Pietro anymore."

Clint furrowed his eyes, then poked the com in his ear. "Pietro, come in. Pietro. Can you hear me?"

There was nothing but a fuzzy silence. Steve shot a look at Tony, while Natasha glared at both of them.

"Shit," Clint whispered, pushing forward again, moving with renewed fervor.

"Language," Tony muttered, getting a snort out of Natasha and a glare from Steve.

"Come on, we need to keep up with Clint or else he'll loose us too," said Natasha, following after her partner.

Tony, still snickering, followed Natasha, while Steve just sighed, and fell in line behind Tony.

The three finally caught up with Clint, who was standing in an opening of the trees, his bow drawn, checking around.

"Clint, what-"

"Shh!"

He aimed his bow to the right, where there was a rustling noise, and then suddenly, there was Pietro, standing in a beam of moonlight, huffing and puffing, trying to regain his breath.

"There's, uh, huh, someone waiting-"

"Where?"

Pietro pointed behind him, where the forest seemed to be thinning.

"Come on."

Clint helped Pietro over to where he indicated, Natasha, Steve, and Tony following behind, tense, and at the ready.

There was a small line of houses, illuminated by the bright moonlight. At the back of the house closest to them, there was picnic table, where a small figure sat in the dark.

"Tony, get a scan of whoever that is," whispered Steve.

"It's a woman. She's, she's waiting for someone," breathed Pietro.

Clint narrowed his eyes, then drew his bow, while Natasha grabbed a pair of binoculars from her belt.

"The speedster is right. Its a woman, but index doesn't show she's a threat. No weapons detected."

Suddenly she shifted, and her face was caught by the moonlight, causing Clint to recoil. Natasha too gasped suddenly, causing Tony, Steve and Pietro to look questioningly at the pair.

"It can't be. It can't be her."

"It is, Nat. That's her."

"No, you haven't seen her in years, you don't know what she looks like, right?"

"How could I forget? She was the one I couldn't save from my past. I could never forget her face."

"Well who is it?" asked Pietro, always the impatient one.

Clint shook his head, then lowered his bow.

"It's my sister."


	2. Chapter 2

**Apparently people really like this story, which surprised me, so I decided to write another chapter as fast as I could.**

 **Someone asked if Clintasha would be a part of this story, and I'm very sorry, but for the purposes of this story, Clint does have his family with Laura.**

 **On that note, I recognize that Kate Bishop is the female version of Hawkeye, not his actual sister, and that parts of his past in this story aren't accurate, according to the comic books. Please pardon me on these differences, but it's just the way I wrote it.**

 **Please let me know what you think, because your ideas are greatly appreciated!**

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"Wait. Let me get this straight. First there's a whole family of small tiny agents we don't know about, and now you're telling me there's a sister? Anything else you want to let us know, Hawkeye?" lamented Tony, sounding slightly amused.

"There was also a brother who died in my arms, a dad who died in a car crash because he was drunk, and a mom who remarried three times, which is why that girl standing right over there is my half sister. You good, Stark?"

Tony swallowed under Clint's gaze, realizing the archer wasn't messing around. Natasha recognized the tension between the two, and immediately stepped in.

"Chill, both of you. Clint, this can't be a coincidence. In the messages Tony decoded, Strucker talked about someone who kept interfering at the base, causing trouble, and now she shows up. That can't be a coincidence, it just can't."

"Or she's a part of Hydra. Or she's just living here. We don't know, but until we do, she's a threat. We need to regroup, find a place to stay, and investigate this tomorrow," stated Steve.

"Steve's right, Barton. There's too much in the unknown. We just need to wait for morning, when we're not stranded in the middle of a forest, out in the open for anyone or anything to attack us," affirmed Tony.

Clint turned to Natasha for support, but even she was avoiding his eyes.

"I can't just leave her. I haven't seen her in years. In my mind, she was dead, okay? So excuse me if I don't want to just move on and pretend like she's not here."

"We're not saying that, Clint. We'll come back. We know how much this means-"

"Do you Natasha?" Clint spat at his partner, earning her reproachful glare. "I'm sorry, but she's out here, waiting. She must be waiting for us, right? Whether good or bad, she could get us to the Hydra base. And we're not out in the open. We're Avengers, and did we or did we not just defeat an army of metal robots? She's one person against five."

"Clint, stand down. You're not thinking rationally."

"I'm thinking more rationally than any of you!"

"We can investigate this tomorrow. We'll find a safe house or something and think about this."

"You all can do that. I need answers. Now."

"Barton, stand down, that's an order."

Before Clint could retaliate against Steve for his constant remarks about standing down, Pietro stepped in, getting frustrated with the lack of progress in the conversation.

"How about we just take her out and move on?"

"Pietro, don't!"

Just as Pietro was about to take off, Clint grabbed onto his arm, but the damage was done. The girl sitting at the picnic table stood up, scanning the woods before her.

She was dressed in black yoga pants, tucked into a pair of worn down combat boots, a purple undershirt, covered by a black shawl with a hood that she had drawn up over her head.

She walked forward, her eyes narrowing. The five people in the woods held their breath, listening to the sound of their own panicked heartbeats, as time seemed to stand still.

Unfortunately for them, it wasn't enough.

"I know you're there, Clinton. Show yourself."

Clint stood still for a second, then ruffly pulled Pietro behind him, who was immediately grabbed by Natasha. She glared at him, but Pietro just rolled his eyes, and shook his arm loose.

Clint stalked forward, cautious, and at the ready. The girl crossed her arms as Clint stepped out of the shadows, closely followed by Natasha, Pietro, Tony, and a rather wary Steve.

She didn't move from her spot, but let the five come to her. Clint stopped advancing when he was about ten feet from her, an arrow still fitted to his bow.

The girl stared at Clint for a minute, then turned, and waved for them to follow her. She walked back to a sliding glass door, then stepped inside, leaving a gap for the rest of them to follow.

One by one they entered, each casting suspicious looks at each other, before Clint stepped inside, took one last look behind him, and then slid the door shut.

Inside, a small blue lamp was lit, casting a cool light over the white walls. They were all confined to a small room, but a closed door to the right led to the rest of the house.

There was plenty of furniture in the room, giving it a homely feel. There was a small desk in a corner, a small bookshelf, an unfolded futon, a bare cot, a large dresser and vanity mirror, as well as a dressing screen to change behind.

There were books stacked neatly on the shelves, papers shuffled orderly on the desk, along with a small cup of black pens. Clothes were piled in a corner near the dressing screen, and a towel hung up on the edge of the mirror.

The room was well lived in, but Clint sensed something was off, though he wasn't sure what, until he looked at the futon more closely.

There was a single pillow at the top of the futon, as well as a single blanket that was pulled back, as if someone had thrown it off quickly. Next to the pillow was a black case that looked rather familiar, with a smart phone and laptop sat charging next to it.

Steve shifted nervously next to Clint, pulling him back to the problem before them. The two were standing defensively in front of Natasha, Pietro, and Tony, guarding the glass door in case they needed to get out fast.

The girl was standing in front of them, her arms still folded across her chest, but she had lowered her hood, and they finally got a good look at her.

She had short, chestnut brown hair, french braided back into two pigtails, but a short piece hung down over her left eye, covering a rather nasty scar on her forehead. Her eyes were dark, but there was a hint of green to them, exactly the same shade as Clint's. She was tall, and very rugged. She stood defiantly, taking turns to get a look at every member of the team.

No one spoke for a while, until Clint stepped forward.

"Kate, I-"

"Don't. Just don't. I'm here to offer a place to stay, that's it. I'm not here, looking for a great big reunion if that's what you're thinking." Her voice was level and tough, the type of voice that lets you know they can handle themselves.

Clint's eyes darkened as he studied his half sister.

"How'd you know we were on our way here?" he asked.

"Fury. He's been tracking your movements, and tipped me off that you and your team were going to need some help. I heard that you're after Hydra, which is why I'm here. Fury tasked me with taking down a base not far from here."

Clint was very confused, but Natasha muttered "I knew it wasn't a coincidence!" getting a grin from Pietro and Tony.

"Fury knew about a base around here? And since when do you work for Fury? Last time I saw you-"

"Last time you saw me I was just a little girl, I know, but you're not the only person in our family who can join a top secret agency. S.H.I.E.L.D. has known about this base for a while, ever since communications became irregular."

Steve decided to step in, as more and more questions arose.

"S.H.I.E.L.D. doesn't exist anymore. It disbanded. And sorry, but I'm not even sure who you are."

The girl turned her glare upon Steve. "My name is Kate Bishop, and if you think that S.H.I.E.L.D. doesn't exist anymore, you're an idiot. Fury and some loyal agents have been rebuilding it since you and Agent Romanoff destroyed it."

"Should've seen that coming," said Natasha, shaking her head. Kate shrugged.

"I've been here about three months now, trying to figure out how to take this base down. I've taken down plenty of bases, but none as big as this."

"So you mean to tell me that you've been putting your life on the line, going into bases by yourself, without backup, and haven't gotten killed yet?" Clint asked, a protective streak in his voice.

Kate immediately went cold. "I've been on my own since I was born, I think I know how to handle myself. Besides, I don't even know you, nor do I care, but it's none of your business as to who I am, or what I do."

Clint look slightly hurt, but he shook it off. "It is my business, because I'm your brother-"

"Half. Half brother. And I've only met you three times in my lifetime. You've got no right."

There was a chilling silence that spread through the glare, as everyone confirmed that Kate Bishop wasn't someone who needed anyone's assistance. She glared at Clint, before glancing around at everyone again.

"Listen. You don't know me, and I don't know you, but I'm offering you a place to stay. You may not trust me, I _know_ I don't trust you, but Fury said for me to let you stay here. He also told me to give you everything I have on this Hydra base, so here."

She handed Steve a thumb drive that she had stashed in her pocket, then glanced around again.

"I know it's not much, but it's safe. I'm sure of it."

Steve stared at Kate, analyzing her, before he slipped the drive into his pocket, and loosened his state.

"We appreciate it, Kate. If you don't mind, we do need a place to stay. We honestly thought that we'd have neutralized the threat by now," Steve stated.

Once Pietro heard they were staying, he immediately fell back onto the futon, sprawling out, and taking up as much room as he wanted, which earned an eye roll from Tony. Kate too noticed this, and narrowed her eyes, but didn't say anything.

"This base is pretty easy to find in records, but Hydra has actually concealed the real location fairly well. We can talk more tomorrow; I imagine that you're all fairly tired."

Steve nodded, then moved into the room, setting his bag and shield down on the floor, with Tony and Natasha following suit. Clint, however, still wouldn't move. Kate noticed, but shook her head. Clint glared back at her. She sighed.

"I'm gonna go get some extra blankets. There are other rooms if you all want to spread out-"

"Nah, we all stay in the same room when we travel. Cap doesn't like it when we're separated in some place new. That being said, Speedy Gonzales down there has already decided we're sleeping in here," explained Tony, motioning to Pietro, who was already snoring softly. Steve threw a reproachful glare at Tony, but let his comments slide.

"I'll help you get blankets, Kate," said Clint, following her from the room. Natasha looked up, but Clint was already gone. Instead, she turned to Steve.

"She's a good person Steve. We can trust her."

Steve raised an eyebrow. "How do you know that?"

"Same way I knew that I could trust you when I first met you. She's too cold to be lying. Plus, I think she could help us out."

Steve shrugged. "I just think that she's a little too distant, but then again, we are invading her safe house. We'll just see how tonight and tomorrow go, alright?"

Natasha nodded, then began setting up her area of the room, as well as Clint's.

Out in the hallway, Clint was following Kate closely, wondering where to begin. Everything he thought of didn't seem good enough, but she finally spoke first.

"I know you probably blame yourself for everything that has happened to me, but don't, okay?" she said, turning to face him. "It wasn't you who beat me when you came home drunk. It wasn't you who told me I was trash, and wouldn't let me go to school some days because I breathed the wrong way. It wasn't you who chased me with a knife and pounded on my door until you fell unconscious. It was our mom, and there is nothing that you could have done to have stopped it."

"I should have stood up for you, Katie. I should have been there. I knew how terrible she could be. I knew how much of a monster she was when she was drunk. But when I left, I was so happy, that I didn't have a care in the world. I was free, but at what cost?" Clint paused, shaking his head. "I should have been caring for you, instead of leaving. I didn't think about anyone else other than myself, which is the most selfish thing I could have ever done."

"Clint, Barney was dead. Your dad was dead. Everyone around you associated with our mom was dying. You knew you were the next one to go. If you hadn't have gotten out, I probably wouldn't be alive to thank you."

Clint raised an eyebrow. "Thank me? For what?"

"For being an example. When I found out that you became and agent of some secret organization, and that you learned to fend for yourself, that's all I wanted from that point on. Thankfully, S.H.I.E.L.D. noticed, and took me on about four years ago."

"Four years? Why didn't you ever come see me?"

Kate shrugged. "I was having such a great time learning how to defend myself, and I didn't want anything from my past to ruin that."

Clint nodded; he understood. When he left his town in Iowa, he couldn't have been happier, an more determined to never look back.

Kate opened up a small closet in the hallway, and pulled out several thick comforters to lay out on the floor, as well as a few other throw blankets.

Clint was glad they had talked a little bit, because he felt more comfortable now, but he knew that even though he was her brother, he was going to have to earn her trust, and gain her friendship, which he took as a sort of personal challenge.

Kate shut the closet door, then led the way back to her room, where Tony and Natasha were arguing over who would sleep on the cot. Steve was trying to mediate, and prevent a fight, but Natasha already had a blade in her hand.

"No, Natasha, put that away," called Clint, stepping past a confused Kate. He grabbed the knife out of his partner's hand, then stepped in between her and Tony.

"Tony, just sleep on the floor-"

"Why should I have to sleep on the floor? Natasha does it all the time, why can't she do it now?"

"Someone can sleep on the futon as well," chimed in Kate, looking slightly annoyed with the petty argument.

"No they can't," came Pietro's muffled voice from over on the futon. He was laying face down, with a pillow over the back of his head, trying to block out the noise.

Kate rolled her eyes, and dumped the blankets onto the ground. "Hang on, I think I've got a couple more," she said, retreating from the room, for a few moments, before coming back with two other cots, that she unfolded and set up for someone to use.

"Better," commented Tony.

In the end, it was decided that Tony, Natasha, and Steve would take a cot, leaving Pietro on the futon, and Clint and Kate on the ground. Kate set up as far away from everyone as she could, only taking a sleeping bag and her pillow. She also moved her black case, phone and laptop away from Pietro, who was doing his best to take up every inch of the bed, determined to have the thing all to himself.

Soon everyone was sleeping, or on the verge of sleep. When everyone's breathing pattern slowed, Kate got up, and checked around the room, trying to figure things out.

She wasn't used to being in such close quarters with people, but she knew she would have to deal with it. Also, having her brother in the same place as her made her feel weird, like something bad was going to happen. She shook it off, attributing it to the memories of their abusive mother.

Her mind was uneasy, but she knew there was nothing she could do for it. She would have to trust these five people to help her, something that she hadn't done in a long time. She was used to doing everything on her own, and doing everything her way.

"Well," she sighed. "If Fury and Coulson trust these people, then I could at least try," she thought, before drifting off into a deep and uneasy sleep, filled with nightmares she hadn't had for years.


	3. Chapter 3

**You all are great, because you've already predicted where this story is going. Pietro needs to learn to love someone other than his sister, and Kate needs to learn to trust anyone besides herself. Also, thank you to those who told me that Hawkeye's back story was alright. Sorry I changed it from what is normal!**

 **Thank you to everyone who let me know what they think! It encourages me to write more as soon as I can. Please keep telling me what you think!**

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Kate was pulled from her deep sleep by the noise of soft feet shuffling past her head, making her tense. Immediately, however, she remembered everything that had happened last night, and the hand underneath her pillow loosened its grip on the knife.

She wasn't alone anymore, and already she was resenting having other people in her house.

She cracked open an eye, just in time to see a strip of scarlet red hair disappear behind the door that led to the rest of the house.

Kate sighed, checked her watch, and then rolled over onto her back, stretching as she gave into the fact that there was no way she could go back to sleep. It was already eight.

Silently, Kate slipped her knife into her pocket, pulled on a navy blue sweatshirt, then stood up, and studied the room.

There was a feeling of peacefulness about the room that always comes with the morning, with the fresh, new light pouring in from the windows, and the glass door. Kate heard, for the first time in a long time, the chirping sounds of the birds accompanied by the soft breathing noises of the people still sleeping. It was more calming than she remembered, and she had a ghost of a grin on her face as she took in the slumbering team.

Tony's legs and arms were hanging off the cot, but he didn't seem to care. Steve slept uniformly, his body straight and tense, yet somehow relaxed, ready to be up and moving in case he was called to arms. Pietro was still sprawled out, just like he had been, but Kate was under the impression that he had moved around a lot in his sleep, because his blankets were entangled around his legs, and his pillow was now at his feet. She then turned her eyes on Clint, whom she noticed, with increased annoyance, that he slept the exact same way she did; on the side, one hand under the pillow, the other ready to lash out if necessary.

She was trying to get over how creepy this was, when she heard the door open, causing her to look around quickly.

Natasha smiled, mouthed the word 'sorry' and held up a cup of coffee.

Kate stared at her quizically, but accepted, then gestured outside to the picnic table. Natasha got the hint and nodded, following Kate as they stepped carefully across Pietro to get to the door.

Pietro mumbled something unintelligible, then rolled over, using his arm as a pillow. Natasha grinned, and poked his foot, but Pietro didn't react, so she left him alone.

Outside, the sun was already warming up the air around them, and slowly the world was awakening. Natasha could hear cars in the distance, and she remembered that there was a highway not too far from their location on the map.

She and Kate took seats opposite to each other at the picnic table, sitting in companionable silence for a while, sipping their coffee. After a while though, Kate spoke up.

"I was asleep when you left. How'd you know I was up?" she asked.

"Your breathing pattern. It changed as I moved around, so I thought I'd say sorry with a cup of coffee," Natasha answered.

"Did you find your way around alright?"

"Yeah. You're a lot more organized than the guys on this team."

Kate grinned a little, then was distracted by another question.

"Speaking of the guys on this team, who are they? I mean, I know who they are, but what are they like?"

Natasha thought for a minute, wondering how to describe the people she worked with.

"They're guys, you know? I think what you're looking for is if you can trust them, am I right?" Kate nodded slowly. "Right. So, the only thing you need to know is that I trust them, and if I can trust them, then you can."

Kate looked Natasha over skeptically, asking her to explain.

"Look," said Natasha. "There isn't anyone in the world who is more skeptical than I am. I only began to trust Clint two years ago, and I've known him ever since he joined S.H.I.E.L.D. I don't trust easy at all; I was raised that way. I'm guessing you've read my file that was dumped online."

Kate just blinked.

"Right. I learned to never trust anyone. But these people, these insane, and wonderful people sleeping inside, are definitely people you can trust."

Kate stared at Natasha for a minute, before she decided to speak again.

"Can I trust you?"

Kate expected Natasha to be taken aback by this question, but she just smiled, raising her cup of coffee.

"You already do. I mean, why else would you be talking to me about this?"

Kate raised an eyebrow, but smiled, and knocked her cup against Natasha's, before they both took a sip.

"Better question," said Kate a minute later. "Do you trust me?"

Natasha laughed a little, then set down her glass. She stuck her hand in her pocket, and pulled out a small photo of a tiny girl with pigtails, smiling brightly at the camera. Kate, confused, took the picture in her hands, staring down at it.

"This is-"

"You. Clint keeps it in his bow case, along with a picture of his brother and his family. I think he stole it from his house when he went back there a few years ago. That's how I knew who you were when I saw you."

"Clint went back there?"

"Yeah, when your mom got remarried again, he thought he would be able to handle the wedding, but he immediately got in a fight with the new step brother, so he left, only after he looted the house."

Kate snickered, imagining the scene. "Mom never even asked me to come back. She knew there was no point. I made sure that when I left. I let her know that I was never going to come back. Those were the worst years of my life."

"Well," started Natasha, taking the picture back from Kate, and sliding it back into her pocket. "Your life's not over yet."

"That's positive," responded Kate.

"I always am."

Kate shook her head, a smile playing around her mouth.

They spent a few more minutes in comfortable silence, enjoying each other's company.

Kate decided she could at least begin to trust Natasha, because she was a lot like her. They were both wary of trusting others, which somehow made it okay to trust each other.

Natasha confirmed her thoughts that Kate was just like Clint, only female. She realized that when Kate was speaking last night, she was putting up a facade to make her appear tough, but that she was actually a good, and trustworthy person on the inside, which she planned on telling Steve later. Clint did the same thing in tense situations, and Natasha was laughing on the inside, seeing how much Kate and Clint were alike.

A noise behind them pulled Kate and Natasha from their thoughts, and they looked up as Steve stepped outside, carrying out a tablet with the thumb drive connected to it.

"Morning ladies," he said, taking a seat beside Natasha. Kate raised an eyebrow, while Natasha shook her head.

"I thought we could get started on the Hydra base planning. I thought we could figure this out, but there's a lot more to it than just blowing stuff up, isn't there? Its not as easy as it seems," he continued, not seeing Natasha or Kate's reactions. He had the compound pulled up on the tablet, studying the security.

"No, it's not very easy. We have to find the guy who is leading the base, infiltrate the defense system, and cut off supplies. Problem is, the guy in charge could be anyone. They've brainwashed most of the people on the inside, or silenced them. Fury wants as little casualties as possible, but what happens, happens. Survivors are to be sent to a program at the Sandbox where it's decided where everyone's loyalties really are."

"How would we get them there?" Natasha asked.

"I've got a quinjet in a hanger down the street from here, but it's only fitted for transport, not combat. We have to go in unnoticed until we confirm who the leader is."

"Any ideas?" Steve asked.

"I know it sounds stupid, but I've got it down to the band director, Spanish teacher, and History teacher. Everyone seems to answer to them."

Natasha furrowed her eyebrows, while Steve looked down at the tablet, both confused.

"Wait. This isn't a normal Hydra base is it? That's why these numbers make no sense. It's a training academy, filled with kids."

Kate nodded, as the gravity of the situation fell on Steve and Natasha.

"That's why I haven't been able to take out this base yet. I'm trying not to go in with force. Usually, someone gets hurt with the way I run things, but I can't go in guns blazing here. I've enrolled, and I'm a student on the inside, but I can't see everything that's going on. That's why I need you all."

Steve nodded, finally understanding. "It's a spy mission. Infiltrate, find the source, take it out, then clean up the mess so no one ever knows, right?"

Kate nodded. "Right. The kids have been brainwashed to defend the base at all costs, but we don't want it to come to that."

A sort of chilling silence fell between the three, as each of them thought about how best to address the situation.

They didn't have much time to think though, before the glass door was thrown open, spilling out a grumpy Tony, an annoyed Pietro, and a frustrated Clint.

Steve sighed, taking in the look on the three's faces, and shook his head. "I don't even want to know."

"Let's just say that Pietro has confirmed that Tony is NOT a morning person," yawned Clint, sliding in on the other side of Natasha.

"I thought you all already knew that if I stay up late and get woken up before nine, I'm not the nicest of people, but apparently, I was wrong," snapped Tony, resting his head on the table, after he took a seat next to Kate, who moved over to put plenty of space between her and the billionaire.

" _I_ didn't know. But know I do," sighed Pietro. "Do you mind if I sit here?" he asked Kate, pointing to the space between her and Tony.

She raised an eyebrow, and nodded. "What am I gonna do, ask you to sit on the ground?" she asked.

"You could. I would ignore you, and sit here anyway, but you could ask."

Kate shook her head, a smile playing around her mouth again.

Conversation broke out throughout the table, but Steve cleared his throat, and put the tablet in the middle of the table, so that everyone could see it.

"Alright everyone. We need a plan. This isn't going to be as easy as we thought, but we're going to figure something out. We're going after a training academy, filled with young agents. We're to assume that everyone on the inside is a civilian, brainwashed to believe what they're doing is right. They will try and take us down if we're found out. This is to be a standard undercover operation, and we're going after the leader of the base, who hasn't been identified yet. This is the layout of the academy here. So, does anyone have any ideas?"


	4. Chapter 4

"Now all we need is to get prepped and ready. We'll review the plan again tonight, and then we'll put it in motion tomorrow, alright?" Steve said, stretching his arms above his head.

It was well into the morning; the dew on the grass had already dried, and the sun was shining innocently down upon the team, warming up the air around them.

They had been discussing how they were going to take down the base, and had finally come up with a definite plan, but they needed to get a few things straight before Kate went back to the base the next day.

Steve looked around at the team, shaking his head. Tony was fast asleep with his head on the table, while Pietro was trying to see how deep of a sleep he was in by poking his face every now and then, Natasha and Clint looking on with amused expressions, while Kate was just shaking her head.

"Hey!" barked Steve.

Tony snapped up immediately, jumping straight into Pietro's hand, which was poised to poke him on the forehead. Natasha and Clint started sniggering, while Pietro looked away as if he hadn't done anything, as Tony rubbed his head, a cross look on his face.

"We need to get this done fast. The more kids this base trains, the more dangerous it becomes. Tony, drink some coffee or something. Pietro, stop irritating Tony. Natasha and Clint, stop encouraging him. Now come on, we've got work to do."

They all stood up, and slowly shuffled back into the house, Pietro ignoring the looks he was getting from the annoyed billionaire.

After a quick breakfast, everyone was ready to move out. They were going to look at the quinjet first, then to map out the path they would take from the base back to the hanger so that everyone would be familiar with the surrounding area.

They all set out, dressed in civilian clothes, acting like they were taking a nice, casual walk in the neighborhood. It wasn't as peaceful as it sounds.

Pietro was irritated because he couldn't sprint ahead and check things out, and Clint and Tony were locked in a heated battle about whether Tony's targeting system or Clint himself was more accurate, while Steve was focusing all his attention on not punching both of them to make them stop bickering. Natasha stalked behind them, glancing around at the houses every now and then, positive someone would overhear them and they'd be done for. Kate walked in front, trying to keep her cool. She wasn't used to this much talking and arguing, and it was getting under her skin. She didn't understand how a team that worked so well together could bicker this much.

After a few blocks, Pietro slipped up to the front, and walked casually beside Kate, earning a quizzical glare.

"What?" he asked. "Can I not walk beside you?"

Kate narrowed her eyes at him, but didn't say anything.

"Pietro, don't you dare think about running ahead!" came Natasha's voice from the back. Pietro turned around and made a face.

"Can I not walk up front without getting verbally attacked? Come on!" He shook his head in pretend disdain, while Natasha just rolled her eyes.

"She's right though. If you sprint ahead, I'll take you out. I'm not about to let you ruin this cover."

Pietro ran his eyes over Kate, studying her, sizing her up for the first time. He figured she was just joking, but something about her tone made him unsure.

"You wouldn't be able to touch me," he replied, hoping he sounded like he was somewhat joking.

"You willing to take that bet? You haven't seen how good I am with a knife," Kate shot back, her tone ice cold.

Pietro was immediately defensive, but with one glance in her eyes he saw just a glint of playfulness for a split second, which made him smile. Kate gave a ghost of a grin, then turned around to the group. Tony and Clint were still bickering.

"Hey! Married couple! We're taking a detour. This way."

Kate turned back around, then took a sharp right off the road and into the woods, with Pietro following close behind. Next went Steve, with a now silent Tony and Clint, and then finally Natasha, who took one last glance around before fading into the dark brush.

After the first wall of bushes and other small plants, there was a clearing, with a barely visible path that led on, winding around the trees.

"Stay close," Kate warned. "It may not seem like it, but it's pretty easy to get lost in here. Everything looks the same."

"How far to the hanger?" Steve asked, shoving Tony in front of him and Clint behind him so that they couldn't start up their argument again.

"Not far. Few hundred yards. It'll be the next clearing we walk into. It's back far enough so that any kid who was in these woods wouldn't find it immediately. The people who live around here know there's an old hanger around here, but they don't know about the quinjet. S.H.I.E.L.D. made sure of that."

Steve raised an eyebrow at that, but just shook it off, keeping in mind that he'll know what she's talking about soon enough.

They started off on their trek, weaving in and out of trees, across a couple of creeks and streams, careful not to trip over any rocks or roots. After a while, the trees began to thin, and sure enough, as they stepped out into the sunshine, Steve saw a large building, slightly run down, with one side open to a weed infested runway.

Pietro took one glance around, gave a half sneer, then took off running, turning into nothing but a blue blur, circling around and around the clearing.

"Showoff," muttered Clint.

"This way," signaled Kate, ignoring Pietro's antics, leading the group on to the hanger.

Inside, there was a few broken plastic chairs, broken bottles and other debris, and a haystack with a printed out target tacked to it that was absolutely ripped to pieces. A single arrow stuck out of it, directly where the center used to be.

"You shoot a bow?" Steve asked, while Clint tried to suppress a smile; he knew exactly what was in the black bag now.

"A little," Kate shrugged.

"Great. There are two bird brains now. Where's the quinjet?" Tony asked, wiping the sweat off his forehead.

Kate reached to the side of the wall, and opened up a control box, pressed a sequence of buttons, then turned and watched as the ground on the far side of the hanger began to open. Pietro sprinted over, wondering what the heck was going on, and watched in surprise as the quinjet rose up from the ground.

After a quick look around the jet, Steve ran over the part of the plan with the quinjet, while Kate taught everyone the sequence to raise the jet.

Within the next hour, they were back at the safe house, Pietro pleased that he got to run around for while, Steve more confident about the plan, Tony sweaty and tired, and Clint excited about the idea that his sister was a bow master like himself.

Clouds were rolling in across the horizon, making it dark outside, even though it wasn't too late in the afternoon. They all sat around a table inside, mapping out a path, and straightening any creases in the plan. After a while, they each broke off, individually getting ready for their role in the plan, getting everything situated for the next day.

After a makeshift dinner, they went through the whole house, deciding what they needed and what they could leave behind, not planning to return if everything went well.

"Alright team, let's get some rest. We've got a big day tomorrow. We'll need to be at our best," Steve said as he set down his bag next to everyone else's on the table. Everything they were going to take with them was laid before them, ready for the next day. They all stood around the table for a few seconds, listening to the start of a rainstorm outside, then broke off, getting ready for what was sure to be an uneasy night's rest.

Tony settled into his cot, drawing the covers up around him as a chill ran through the house. Natasha was curled up in a ball in the middle of her cot, indifferent to the damp weather. Steve was unaffected as well, except for a little piece in the back of his mind that reminded him why he could tolerate cold so well now. Pietro lay sprawled out on the bed again, but allowed a blanket to cover him.

Clint and Kate sat on their respective sleeping bags, Kate waiting, because she knew Clint had something to say. Eventually he just smiled, and randomly threw his small pocket knife at Kate, which she caught without blinking an eye, which made Clint's smile grow.

"You got it too."

Kate raised an eyebrow. "Got what?"

"Got whatever gene it is that makes us able to do what we do. Makes us able to see the center of a target as clear as day from yards away. Back at the hanger, you weren't shooting at that haystack from a few feet away. You were shooting at it from the edge of the clearing yards away. I could tell by the angle of the arrow."

Kate just shrugged, and became interested in straightening out her blankets. Clint leaned over and grabbed the black case that was resting beside Kate's sleeping bag.

"Hey!" Kate exclaimed, and made a grab for the case, but it was too late. Clint opened it up, and gave a low whistle as he saw what was inside. It was a sleek, shiny black recurve bow, made of one solid piece of strong wood. There was also a quiver of multiple arrows, all solid black except for one of the fletchings on each which was purple.

"Where did you get this?" Clint asked in awe.

"The tech department put it together for me. Fury decided I work best with a bow, so he had one made," Kate replied, reaching over and grabbing the case back.

Clint grinned. "He did the same for me. It probably scared him half to death thinking that there was two of me, but I bet you're a lot more cooperative than I was when I started out."

"Based on some of the stories I've heard, you're not wrong," grinned Kate.

"Hey," Clint warned, pretending like he offended. Kate just smiled and shrugged.

"When this is all over, you should come back with me to Avengers tower. I'd like to see how good you really are."

"We'll see, Fury might need me somewhere else," said Kate, hesitant.

"Forget Fury. I'd like to spend some time with my sister," grumbled Clint.

"We'll see. Go to sleep Barton. Tomorrow is going to be a long day."

Kate rolled over, turning her back to her brother, and pretended to fall asleep. She didn't want to say how uncomfortable she the whole team, and how ever glance at her brother made her think of her past, and why she had left everything behind.

She wasn't sure when she had fallen asleep, but Kate woke up immediately when a large crack of thunder sounded right over her head. She sat up, and ran a hand across her hair, checking her surroundings, making sure everything was okay.

As far as she could tell, no one else was awake, but movement in front of her drew her attention.

Outlined by the nearly constant lightning, Kate could see Pietro, visibly shaking, occasionally lashing out at the air in front of him, sweat glistening across his forehead.

"Hey! Maximoff! Wake up!"

Kate immediately got over and knelled by the futon, trying to shake the speedster awake. As Pietro gained consciousness, he sent a fist flying directly towards Kate's face, but she deflected it, then twisted his arm, and didn't let go until he gave a cry of surprise.

Pietro sat up, shaking his head, his hair disheveled, parts of it matted down with sweat. His eyes were bright with fear, reflecting the lightning from outside.

"Sorry," he mumbled, realizing what had happened, and what he had done.

"Don't. Don't apologize. You don't need to. It's okay. We'll all get nightmares," reassured Kate, returning to her sleeping bag, settling back in under the blankets.

Pietro lay awake for a while after that, thinking. It was weird to him, having someone wake him due to his nightmares. Wanda had never done that because she was usually trapped in her own mind, and the rest of the Avengers were the same way, he had assumed.

He didn't tell anyone, but that was why he ran so much. He wanted to be as tired as possible before we went to sleep so that he might be able to sleep through the nightmares. It usually worked, but sometimes he just couldn't prevent them.

After a while, he sat up, and glanced over at Kate, wondering about her, and what her nightmares were, but with a fresh crack of thunder, he shook his head, then lay back down, trying to clear his mind, hoping he had had his fill of nightmares for the night.


End file.
